Tesla kills its relatively affordable 60kWh Model S options

After April 16th, 2017, people will no longer be able to buy the most affordable Tesla cars available today. The automaker has decided to stop offering the Model S 60 and 60D options to "simplify the ordering process," according to a newsletter it sent to subscribers. Tesla launched the cars last year as a way to reintroduce the cheaper 60kWh battery option. The company first offered 60kWh battery from 2012 to 2015, before the Model S 70D took its place.

While the cars technically have shorter battery life and range than the standard option, they're actually equipped with 75kWh battery packs. They're merely software-locked to 60kWh, and customers can pay an additional fee to unlock the remaining 15kWh. Tesla says most people ended up paying for the software unlock, so it sees no reason to continue selling the 60kWh versions of the vehicle. While the $67,000-plus cars are going away, the company will have an even cheaper offering in the future. Tesla's upcoming Model 3 cars will set you back $35,000 when they start shippingin 2018 later this year.

Update: A Tesla spokesperson told us some reservation holders will get their Model 3s in 2017. Those further down the list, however, will have to wait until next year.